“That smells great. I’ve never seen lasagna made with the white sauce.”
“I first tried it with Alfredo sauce because a friend didn’t like tomatoes, and it went over well.”
“All this and brains too,” Mox said, skimming his hands down her sides.
Eva leaned back against him. A sigh lifted her shoulders and he waited for the full truth.
“I met your mom today.”
Mox closed his eyes. So it wasn’t what Eva had done, but rather Flo. Would he ever escape the bitch? If she fucked this up for him, he would wring her scrawny neck. “What did she do?” he asked flatly.
“She introduced herself by informing me that she’d heard I was fucking her son. Between that and calling you Miles, she answered my confusion by asking how many men I was sleeping with.”
Mox turned her into his arms. “Jesus. I’m sorry, baby.”
“I don’t know how well I handled it. I was caught off guard and wasn’t prepared to deal with her,” Eva admitted.
“You shouldn’t have to deal with the crazy bitch.”
“It’s a little on the scary side when even Becca thinks she’s crazy. Funny thing is, watching them while she was getting her hair done I thought maybe she was Becca’s mom.”
Mox let out a rueful chuckle. “They’re a lot more alike than you know.”
“She suggested that we get to know one another better.”
“Oh, I’m sure it was a little stronger than a suggestion.”
“She went as far as saying that it is a woman’s place to keep family together.”
“She doesn’t know a damn thing about family.”
“Look, I’m sorry if I wasn’t real nice to her, but even the little I know about how she treated you as a child is enough to make me want to rip her heart out,” Eva said into his chest.
Giving her a squeeze, Mox shrugged. “If that’s what you’re worrying about, don’t. She’s not worth it.”
“Do you have any sort of a relationship with her?”
“She’s been trying more since it came out that Zeke’s my father. She just wants an in with Zeke and to hurt Ginny. If anything, I have less respect for her than I did before. I mean, seriously, how does a woman not have a clue who the father of her kid is?”
“I don’t know, baby. Looking at the two of you, I wonder how no one saw it.”
“If you saw her husband, Miles, that she tried to pin me on, you’d be even more confused.”
“That bad, huh?”
“About five-eight and a buck fifty soaked in cheap whiskey,” Mox said with a snort.
“So I take it Miles is your given name, and Mox is a nickname?”
“Was my given name. I had it legally changed when I took the last name Brawer. Since I was ditching the drunk’s last name, I just figured his first should go too. Mox was the name Zeke gave me when I first started hanging out there and what everyone calls me, so it seemed right.”
“Where did he get Mox?” Eva asked, her forehead scrunching in confusion. She looked up as his chest shook with laughter under her fingers.
“He was actually calling me dumb ox, but when he mutters it under his breath, it sounds like Mox.”
Eva’s mouth opened and closed, like a dozen different condolences were trying to tumble out. As sweet as she was, Mox couldn’t hold back a chuckle.
“That doesn’t—didn’t—bother you?” she asked, biting her lip.
“Why should it? He wasn’t trying to be mean. That’s just Zeke.”
“Male bonding is obviously beyond me,” she said, shaking her head and turning back to their plates. “What do you want to drink?”
“You like wine?”
“I like cheap, fruity wine.”
“You’re in luck. So does Ginny,” he said, pulling a bottle out of the countertop rack.
“I bet Ginny has more expensive taste than I do,” Eva said with a giggle.
“You’d be surprised. The way she puts a bottle away, she can’t be too picky.”
Eva smacked his arm. “Like she’s some sort of wino.”
“Nah, she’s just not much of a beer drinker, so we give her a hard time for her snooty booze.” Mox chuckled, pouring the wine. “With the price of beer lately, she’ll be harassing us soon.”
Digging into his lasagna, he watched her out of the corner of his eye. She was pushing food around her plate, working her bottom lip over with her teeth.
“I told you not to worry about it,” he mumbled around a mouthful.
Eva blushed, lowering her head. “I didn’t realize I was that obvious” she said, picking at her food.
“Is that what the seduction scene was about?” He chuckled at her little shrug. “I’m not complaining. I’d be happy to let you think I’m pissed off more often if I get to come home to that.”
She kicked him lightly under the table. It only served to amuse him more.
“Are you always this easy going?”
“Pretty much.”
She shook her head at him.
“Why walk around being a miserable hard ass? Most of the time, the only one you’re making miserable is yourself.”
“I don’t know. A lot of guys seem to think they have to keep up appearances or maintain their reputation.”
“The guys that walk around with a chip on their shoulder, running their mouth, aren’t legitimate tough guys. On the inside they’re scared little boys, and they’re afraid if they give people half a second, they’ll be recognized for what they are.”
“But you’re the real deal,” Eva said. It wasn’t a question.
“I can hold my own with most, but there’s always someone bigger and badder,” Mox admitted with another shrug. “A lot of times it’s easier to diffuse the situation with a joke.”
“You don’t worry it makes you look weak?”
“Do I look weak to you?”
“Good point,” she said, her eyes running over his natural bulk. She giggled as he shoved a piece of garlic bread in his mouth and flexed for her. “If you keep eating like that you’re going to need to hit the gym, big boy.”
“It’s winter. Everyone puts an extra layer on. I’ll lose it in the summer when I start running again.”
“I was just kidding.”
“I’m not. I have a reason to look good now. I have to keep my hot old lady happy.”
“Old lady?”
“Don’t get your panties in a knot. Old lady is a compliment.”
“Part of your biker lingo I can see, but a compliment?”
“An old lady is a wife or a serious girlfriend. It has nothing to do with age. You’re my old lady. That means you’re under my protection and that messing with you would be like messing with my bike.”
“So what you’re saying is that I’m as important as your Harley?”
“Let a man try straddling either one of you and see,” Mox answered with a wink.
Eva burst into laughter. “You are an absolute pig!”
“We prefer hog,” he said with a straight face.
“I’m sure you do. Give me your trough, porky, and I’ll refill it.”
Mox grinned as she snatched his plate and walked into the kitchen. Damn, he loved her sass. It meant that she was starting to trust him, and reminded him of Gin. He sobered, thinking about Flo. She was a manipulative bitch and could be downright malicious when she didn’t get her own way. Her run-ins with Ginny were legendary. Ginny knew what Flo was and didn’t hesitate to get nasty, but Eva was afraid of hurting him.
She started singing again and he glanced her way. Besides Ginny and Zeke taking him in, Eva was the best damn thing that had ever happened to him. He wasn’t about to let Flo, or anyone else, fuck it up. Eva blew him a kiss and he smiled back. Running a hand over the top of his head, he nodded to himself, decision made. He’d say something to Ginny, and then he’d have an overdue talk with the bitch. Flo was going to stay away from Eva, one way or another.
Chapter ~ 14
A bitter wind whipped off the canal, whistling up the dark alley. Eva pressed close to Mox’s back, drawing warmth and assurance. She could hear the low throb of bass through the brick walls, and her heart pounded in response. Rounding the corner at the bottom, he stopped before imposing steel doors. Eva hung back, wishing desperately to be back in their cozy apartment.
Mox looked back at her, hand on the clubhouse door. She tried to smile.
“You look smoking hot.”
It was the best reassurance he could’ve offered. She giggled. He grinned and nodded his head toward the back entrance in invitation. Snagging his free hand, she stepped under his other arm and through the door.
Shrugging out of her coat, Eva peeked around. Tech winked at her from his seat on the other side of the door. The party was in full swing. Leather, lace, and bare flesh seemed to be the dress code. She smoothed her simple belted sheath dress. Paired with her knee-high boots, she was overdressed in comparison. People were turning to stare. She faltered and Mox pulled her back against the front of him.
“They’re jealous,” he growled sexily in her ear.
Eva wasn’t too sure about that, but it was difficult to argue when she could feel what the little red dress was doing to her man.
“Damn. Someone’s out to make a statement.”
Eva’s head jerked around, color flooding her face at Ginny’s words. The older woman drew her in for a hug before she could utter a word.
“You look amazing, baby. Where’d you get that dress?”
“The little consignment shop on the corner.” Eva admitted shyly.
“Red hot and thrifty. My baby has it made,” Ginny purred, leaning up to give Mox a kiss. He grinned in response.
“Thank you,” Eva mumbled, amazed at how at ease Ginny could make her feel.
“What do you drink? Sambo makes some killer frozen margaritas. He has mango in the blender.”
“I’m not much of a drinker, but that does look good,” Eva said, looking at the slushy, orange concoction Ginny was drinking.
“He makes them virgin for pregos and lightweights,” she said with a saucy wink.
“Don’t let her needle you, little girl. Not everyone can be a lush like Gin,” Zeke rumbled, giving her nape a little squeeze as he shouldered his way through the crowd to his wife’s side.
Eva giggled at Mox’s father and the mock outrage his words elicited from Ginny. She loved his family.
“Don’t laugh at him. It just encourages him.”
Ginny’s admonishment just made her giggle harder, and she hid her face in Mox’s chest. He stroked the back of her neck, tugging on the tendrils of hair that had escaped her up-do.
“Don’t hide that beautiful smile, dimples. It makes me happy.”
Tilting her head back, she smiled up at him. “You make me happy.”
“Why don’t you say sweet things like that to me?” Ginny asked, elbowing her husband.
“I tell you that you make me horny all the time.”
“Happy! He said happy, not horny!”
“Oh…yeah, that too,” Zeke said, chuckling and ignoring his wife’s indignant smack to his arm.
“Enjoy it while you can, honey.”
“I fully intend to. For as long as he’ll have me,” Eva said, squeezing Mox in a hug.
“Eh, I could pencil you in for eternity,” he replied, rolling his bulky shoulders in a nonchalant shrug.
“Now you’re just making a guy look bad,” Zeke said in disgust. “Get outa here.”
Still giggling, Eva let Mox take the lead and followed in his wake to the bar. Her fingers played over the dragon insignia on the back of his vest. His cut, she corrected herself. His world brought a whole new lingo. The design was duplicated in his back tattoo, and on leathers, t-shirts, and hats around the room. They wore the logo with pride, and people in Trinity seemed to treat it with a leery deference. It was different than the outright fear and revulsion she had seen expressed of Rocco and his thugs.
“You like that?”
Eva jumped, heart lodging in her throat. Mox looked down at her over his shoulder, his sexy lips twisted in a slight grin. She hadn’t even realized they’d stopped. She didn’t know how to answer that question. It frightened and comforted her all at once. “It’s a part of you,” she whispered.
He snorted at her non-answer, but nodded as he drew her around in front of him. “That it is. What did you want to drink?”
The lanky bartender offered her a slight smile from his perch on the back counter. His dark eyes were intense, but he exuded an easy peace that was attractive. Tattoo sleeves covered the flesh exposed by his tight black t-shirt. She struggled to remember his name. Someone at the end of the bar caught his attention and spared her the embarrassment.
The angles of his handsome face softened in a genuine smile as he slid to his feet and strolled down to greet a cute, blonde pixie. Their kiss was passionate and Eva couldn’t hold back a wistful smile as their foreheads pressed together for a moment steeped in love. Mox’s lips brushed her ear.
“Don’t drool.”
“Wh-what?”
“Dark, sensitive, soulful, artist and musician, Sambo gets almost as many women drooling over him as Rhys.”
Eva’s mouth opened and closed, her head shaking side to side in denial. She couldn’t breathe. Pinned between the bar and Mox, she had nowhere to go. He looked so serious. Her knees threatened to buckle.
A chuckle startled her. He shook his head, cupping her elbow to steady her.
“Calm down, baby. I’m just blowing you shit.”
She slumped against him, heart hammering. His chuckles made color race back to her cheeks, and she slapped his chest. He laughed harder.
“You need to learn when I’m teasing you.”
“Maybe I do need a margarita,” she said shakily.
“I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Eva nodded. He sounded sincere. He couldn’t possibly know.
“Seriously, baby,” he said, tilting her chin up to look at him.
Kissing his palm, she smiled. “I know. I just—”
“Sorry. What can I get you?” Sambo asked, coming back down to their end of the bar.
“Saved by the soulful one,” Mox said with a grin. “I’ll take a Bud and she’ll have a mango margarita light.”
“Light, huh?”
“She’s a rookie drinker.”
“Prego’s pitcher with a punch coming up,” Sambo confirmed, pulling a carafe of the blended concoction from the freezer.
“Great, now I’m stealing Kat’s drink because I’m a lightweight,” Eva giggled. “At least I’m in good company.”
Cuddled beside Mox on an overstuffed loveseat, Eva half-heartedly listened to him give a play-by-play of video game slaughter to Rhys. The honey haired woman sitting on the arm of Rhys’ chair didn’t look any more entranced than she was. Trying not to stare, Eva wondered who she was and where the bitchy blonde from the other night was. Lips twisting in thought, she glanced around the room for…Becca…that was it, Becca.